Emsheimer Ernst, *15 January 1904 Frankfurt am Main, †12 June 1989 Stockholm, Swedish ethnomusicologist of German descent. He began his musicological studies in Vienna under G. Adler and completed them in Freiburg im Breisgau under H. Besseler and W. Gurlitt, earning his degree in 1927 with a dissertation on J.U. Steigleder (Kassel 1928). From 1932 to 1936, he worked at the Museum of Ethnography of the Russian Academy of Science’s in Leningrad, from where he left in 1936 to conduct research in the North Caucasus. From 1937 to 1949, he worked at the Swedish Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm; in 1949, he became director of the Museum of Music History (Musikhistoriska museet) [now Swedish Museum of Performing Arts (Scenkonstmuseet)]. In 1960, he was awarded the honorary doctorate from Uppsala University, and in 1967, he received the title of professor. In 1977, he was awarded a Medal from the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IS PAN).
Emsheimer abandoned his research on organ music in favor of ethnomusicological studies. He left his recordings and transcriptions of Ossetian and Georgian folk music at the Museum of Ethnography in Leningrad, and in Stockholm he cataloged the collections and recordings from Sven Hedin’s expedition to Mongolia. His insightful studies on the folk music of Asia and Northern Europe, as well as his initiatives to organize international cooperation in the study of European folk musical instruments, earned him widespread recognition. He transformed the Museum of Music History in Stockholm into a vibrant cultural institution and research center.
Lucas Osiander als Orgelbauer, “Musik und Kirche” III, 1931
Drei Tanzgesänge der Akamba, “Ethnos” II, 1937
Musikethnographische Bibliographie der nichtslawischen Völker in Russland, “Acta Musicologica” XV, 1943
Preliminary Remarks on Mongolian Music i Music of Eastern Mongolia, in: The Music of the Mongols I, Reports from the Scientific Expedition to the North-Western Provinces of China under the Leadership of Dr. Sven Hedin XXI, Stockholm 1943
Lappischer Kultgesang, conference proceedings of the Lüneburg 1950
Studia ethnomusicologica Eurasiatica, «Musikhistoriska museets skrifter» I, Sztokholm 1964 (a collection of writings, including one on the gęśle from Gdańsk, Die Streichleier von Danczk)
Some Remarks on European Folk Music Polyphony, “Journal of the International Folk Music Council” XVI, 1964
Ein finno-ugrischer Flötentypus? in: Beiträge zur Sprachwissenschaft, Volkskunde und Literaturforschung, commemorative book of W. Steinitz, Berlin 1965, also in “Journal of the International Folk Music Council” XVIII, 1966
Ein giljakisches Schallgerät, commemorative book of W. Wiora, Kassel 1967
Georgian Folk Polyphony, “Journal of the International Folk Music Council” XIX, 1967
Zur Typologie der schwedischen Holztrompeten, “Studia instrumentorum musicae popularis” I, 1969
Szwedskije narodnyje muzykalnyje instrumienty, in: Tieorieticzeskije problemy narodnoj instrumientalnoj muzyki, Moscow 1974
Schwedische Schallenmagie, “Studia instrumentorum musicae popularis” V, 1977
editorial work:
«Musikhistoriska museets skrifter», Stockholm 1964, along with the vols. 3–8 published by this publisher, forming the series «Studia instrumentorum musicae popularis» edited by E. Stockmanna (vol. 3 – commemorative book of Emsheimer, vol. 6 – conference proceedings of the study group of International Folk Music Council organized in 1977 by Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IS PAN) in Kazimierz Dolny)
«Handbuch der europäischen Volksmusikinstrumente», with E. Stockmann, Leipzig 1968
